photo - ray bloxham
Synopsis
In 1978 and again in 1984, at the urging of the Utah Delegation, Salt Lake City, Save Our Canyons and the environmental community, Congress permanently protected approximately 37,000 acres of Utah’s most scenic alpine terrain. Since that time, population surrounding the Central Wasatch has been rapidly increasing; population for Salt Lake County alone has surpassed 1 million people. This natural area is now endangered by the urban populations encompassing it.
Salt Lake City gets over 60% of its water supply from the 200 square-mile Salt Lake City Watershed. The pressures this area sees in visitation alone are unmatched in any other forest in the country. Save Our Canyons and our partners would like to see that this extraordinarily unique environment is kept pristine for the sake of wildlife, ecosystem preservation, and the health of the citizens that depend on the one resource that is essential for life in this valley: water.
Wilderness designation is the best way to protect the integrity of the Central Wasatch. This area receives more annual visits than Yellowstone National Park though less than half its size. The proximity of this landscape to such a large population results in unintended consequences such as: pressures from development, transportation within the canyons, and overuse by recreationists seeking a wilderness experience.
Watershed Management
Save Our Canyons and the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities have developed proposed Wilderness additions to preserve sensitive ecosystems, protect water quality, and the overall quality of life for the residents in the valley below. As shown in the Proposed Wilderness Additions and Land Management Map (attached) the Department of Public Utilities has been actively acquiring land within the Central Wasatch to protect water resources for their customers. It is our belief that the combination of land acquisition and Wilderness Designation is the only permanent way to protect the watershed.
Ecology
Ecological continuity is very important for sustaining species, yet current boundaries are fragmented and allow for minimal species migration. Moose, black be
